Download Prenatal Packet

WESTWOOD OB-GYN PRENATAL INFORMATION
WELCOME
We at Westwood Obstetrics and Gynecology would like to congratulate you on
your pregnancy and thank you for allowing us to be a part of your prenatal and birthing
experience. The following is a summary of many of the frequent concerns that pregnant
women have. Please keep this packet and refer to it often as many of the most common
questions are answered below.
Visit our website www.westwoodobgyn.com for a more complete list of pregnancy
questions.
THE PRACTICE
Our practice consists of four board certified physicians, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Lewicky,
Dr. Sanders, and Dr. Goldfain, along with Patricia Lynch, Board Certified Nurse
Practitioner, and Jennifer Klump, Board Certified Nurse Midwife. Your prenatal care will
be managed primarily by the four physicians and nurse midwife. Your baby will be
delivered by the physician on call that day, or the nurse midwife. We ask that you meet
each of the physicians and nurse midwife at least once during your pregnancy. It is to
your benefit to get to know each of them and allow them to get to know you. It is nice to
see a familiar face when it comes time for delivery.
Our providers are on staff at Riverside Medical Center and Provena St. Mary’s
hospitals. You may deliver at the hospital of your choice but please check to be sure
your preferred hospital is contracted with your insurance company. Both hospitals offer
birthing rooms, various birthing classes, and allow sibling visitation. Both also allow
father’s to be present during cesarean births at the physician’s discretion.
Please note: We do not perform or condone home deliveries.
TO AVOID
A healthy lifestyle is the single most important factor necessary for a healthy
baby. However, there are several things you should avoid during pregnancy. We
strongly recommend that you:
1) DO NOT SMOKE. If you are a smoker, now is the time to quit. Smoking is proven to
be associated with a higher frequency of miscarriage and bleeding in pregnancy.
Smoking can interfere with normal fetal growth causing babies to be born smaller than
they should. With heavy smoking there is an increased chance of damage to the
placenta which increases your chances of fetal distress during labor and intrauterine
fetal growth retardation.
2) DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL. Alcohol abuse during pregnancy causes a birth defect
called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome which can result in mental retardation. Currently there is
no known safe dose of alcohol that can be ingested in pregnancy; therefore, it should be
avoided.
3) AVOID X-RAYS. If you must be x-rayed, the technician must be informed that you are
pregnant and your abdomen should be double shielded.
4) AVOID HOT TUBS AND SAUNAS. Please avoid anything that raises the body
temperature and sustains it for a prolonged period of time.
5) AVOID HIGH IMPACT EXERCISE. We strongly recommend exercising during
pregnancy to avoid excessive weight gain and ease labor and delivery. We do ask you
to avoid high impact aerobics, running, jogging etc.
6) AVOID LIFTING MORE THAN 40 LBS.
7) DO NOT TAKE ASPIRIN, IBUPROFEN, ALEVE, ADVIL, MOTRIN, OR ANY NONSTEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY MEDICATIONS. You MAY take Extra or Regular
Strength Tylenol for pain or fever.
8) AVOID HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS/PRODUCTS unless approved by one of our
physicians.
FOR COLD OR FLU
Extra Strength Tylenol, Datril, and Anacin 3 can be taken for minor aches and
pains, headache, or fever. Regular strength Sudafed is safe for colds and congestion
and Robitussin DM is safe for cough. Halls or Sucrets throat lozenges are also safe.
If you have a fever that remains at 100 degrees or higher while taking Tylenol, please
call the office and speak to a nurse regarding your condition.
Bed rest and increasing fluid intake is recommended for cold and flu symptoms.
EMERGENCY CARE
We ask our patients to refrain from going to the emergency room without first
contacting our office. Our staff is available by phone between the following hours:
Monday – Thursday
9am-12pm and 1pm-5pm
Friday
9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm
If an emergency occurs, please inform the receptionist that answers your call. There is a
physician on call for our practice to respond to EMERGENCIES after office hours.
Please use good judgment before calling the on-call physician as he or she is typically in
the hospital performing deliveries and surgeries while on call. If a life threatening
emergency arises, never hesitate to go to the nearest emergency room.
NON EMERGENCY CARE
Non-emergency questions and concerns should be answered at your next
prenatal visit. If you feel that you cannot wait you may call the office during regular hours
and ask to speak to a nurse. We ask for your patience when calling as calls are taken in
the order they are received.
WEIGHT GAIN
Proper weight gain is important during pregnancy. We expect a minimum gain of
at least 15 pounds. For a patient of average pre-pregnancy weight, 20 to 25 pounds is
considered ideal, whereas 30 pounds is preferable for the very thin patient. Massive
weight gain (more than 50 pounds) can cause larger than average babies making
delivery more difficult.
EXERCISE
Moderate exercise is desirable but high impact forms such as jogging should be
avoided. Walking, biking and swimming are excellent choices. Sexual activity is not
restricted and may be continued as long as it is comfortable. If you experience bleeding,
preterm rupture of membranes, or are being followed closely for preterm labor, sexual
activity should stop.
BLEEDING IN PREGNANCY
If bleeding occurs at anytime during your pregnancy, get off your feet and call the
office.
RUPTURE OF AMNIOTIC MEMBRANES - “WATER BREAKS”
If your “water breaks” or you experience regular contraction at ANYTIME during
your pregnancy, please go to the Labor and Delivery department of your delivery
hospital. If you are unsure that either has occurred, you may call the office.
LABOR
You should come to the hospital when you are experiencing contractions every
5-7 minutes consistently for one hour. Do not call the on call provider or the office.
The labor and delivery nurse will call the doctor once you are assessed.
ROUTINE TESTING
There are currently many more screenings available to pregnant women than in
years past. In early pregnancy we require Complete Blood Count, Syphilis (required by
the state), Blood Type and Rh factor, Hepatitis B, and STD screenings. We also order
HIV testing on all pregnant patients.
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends that a
screening for Cystic Fibrosis be done on women who are at high risk for carrying the
gene. Those at high risk include those with a family history of cystic fibrosis, Caucasian
women of northern European descent, and women of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. Your
doctor will discuss this with you and testing is optional.
At 16 weeks gestation we offer an Alpha-Fetoprotein blood test. This is a
screening test to detect a fetus with an increased risk of a neural tube defect or Down’s
Syndrome.
Between 18 and 20 weeks gestation a routine ultrasound will be ordered to
assess fetal development. Additional ultrasounds may be ordered at any other time
during pregnancy if indicated.
At 24 weeks gestation all patients are screened by blood test for gestational
diabetes.
At 36 weeks a vaginal culture is done to screen for Beta-hemolytic strep bacteria.
Please do not hesitate to ask your provider if you have any questions about the tests
that are ordered for you during your pregnancy.
CONCLUSION
Despite all of the above warnings and advice, pregnancy is a safe, healthy, and
happy experience. We look forward to caring for you during this special time and
appreciate the trust you have placed in us to care for you and your unborn child.